Article coating machine



March l1, 1941-. 1 j' Y E. BERT-ALAN' -v 2,234,586

' vARTlCLE' coA'r'ING MACHINE v I sheets-sheet 1 2 .Filed June 2s, 1938 An'rlcLE comnmv MACHINE Filed June 23, 1938 y 'a sheets-sheet s I Patented Mar. 1l, 1941 azsisss ARTICLE coA'rrNG MACHINE l Edward Bertalan, Baltimore, VMd., assigner to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y.. a corporation of New York Application June 235 1938, Serial No. 215,320

1o claime- This invention relates to article coating ma-y chin, and more particularly to ran automatic handling operations at" predetermined variable' speeds should be followed. L

An object of this invention is to provide a simple and practical article-coating machine for expeditiously automatically subjecting articles to a certain sequence 'of handing operations whereby a uniform and thorough coating of the articles is effected.

In one embodiment of this invention as applied to a machine for galvanizing articles v ariable speed conveying means is included for continuously causing successive spaced series of articles to travel to a galvanizing bath, miniersing them therein for a predetermined length of time and advancing them while submerged. Means is provided for skimming the surface of the bath of dross in advance of the withdrawal of the articles through the surface thereof. Immediately thereafter the movement of the conveying means is decelerated to slowly emerge the articles through the skimmed surface of the bath until the entire upper ends thereof are above the surface thereof. The movement of the conveying means is then caused to move more rapidly until the lower ends of the articles are approaching the surface of the bath, at which time the movement of the conveying means is again decelerated to permit the excess coating on the articles to properly drain from the articles back into the bath. Upon the lower ends of the articles being emerged from the bath the conveying means is caused to move more rapidly and shortly thereafter a discharge means is actuated to automatically remove the articles from the conveying means and place them in a slightly inclined position on the discharge means with the ends last emerged slightly above the ends 30 which rst emerged to prevent the coating from draining to the lower ends and forming excessively thick sections of coating. After a suflicient length of time to permit the coating to harden the discharge means is returned to its 55 normal position, during which movement the (ci. alf-12.6)

coated varticles` are discharged therefrom by gravity onto a receiving chute. l

Other features and advantages of this invention will more fully appear from the following detailed description, taken in connection with ,the 5 accompanying drawings, in which Fig. 1 is a schematic fragmentary side view,

partly in section, of a galvanizing machine lembodying-the features of this invention;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary plan view of Fig. 1, mit. an intermediate portion of the machine being"`v broken away to conserve space;

Fig. 3is a fragmentary planv view of Fig. i

. illustrating portions not shown 'in Fig. 2, which'v when placed with Fig. 2 along the broken' line 15 at the lower left hand corner ofFlg. 2 forms a c complete plan view of Fig.'1;

Fig. 4 is a` fragmentary side view, similar to' Fig. 1, showing several positions assumed by the automatic bath skimming means during its op 2oerating cycle;

Fig. 5 is a fragmentary side view, similar to Fig. 1, lshowing the upper inclined position of the discharge meanawhichremoves the galvan ized articles .from the travelling conveying 2.4"'v i means, during its operating cycle;

Fig. 6 is an enlarged vertical section taken on f a' the line 6 8 of Fig. 3 of an over-running clutch included in the driving means for the machin and f v Fig. 7 is an electric wiring ldiagram for conl trolling and operatingthe driving motors of the f machine whereby the article conveying 'means is 4 caused to -travel continuously atyariable speeds.

For the sake oi' 'clearnes's and simplicity in the drawings-'most of theframework of the machine and guides for lthe article conveying means have been omitted and -some of the elements shown fragmentarily. since a full understanding of the Vinvention may be had without 40'*- fully illustrating them. v-

Refening particularly to Figs. 1 andl 2, 'the numeral i0 indicates a tank containing a bath of molten galvanizing material li and arranged thereabove is acontinuously moving conveyor I2, comprising two endless aligned sprocket' chains I3 (Fig. 2), one adjacent each end of the tank. Each chain meshes with a yseries of sprocket wheels I6, I1, i8, I9 and 20. and the corresponding wheels of each chain are fixed` to shafts 23, ,iournaled in bearing supports 24.

the shafts being arranged to cause the conveyor I2 to travel a predetermined endless path, to be referred to hereinafter. Extending betwee'ntlie4 e so.

endless chains i3 and uniformly spaced therearound are a plurality of cross bars 25, ve in the present embodiment, which are pivotally connected at opposite ends to the chains by means indicated in general at 26. Attached to each bar 25 are a plurality of hooks 21 for supporting articles 3B to be galvanized. In the movement of the conveyor l2, the hooks 21 will swing downwardly by the action of gravity, the supporting bars 25 freely turning about their pivotal connections 26 to the chains I3, except along the uppermost run (Fig. 1) of the chains between the wheels id and 20, during which run the pivotal connections are associated with suitable guides or rails (not shown) which maintain the hooks horizontally, as shown, but which permit them to swing downwardly and outwardly as they pass around the wheels i6 and 2B, respectively.

A main continuously rotating drive shaft for the machine is indicated at 3i (Figs. 2 and 3), which has fixed thereto a pair of sprocket wheels 32 and I3. The wheel 32 is operatively connected, by means of a sprocket chain 34, to a sprocket wheel 31. secured to the forward end of the shaft 23, as viewed in Figs. l and 2, which shaft extends across the machine and carries the sprocket wheels 20. Thus, the conveyor sprocket chains i3, which mesh with the driving wheels 2B, are driven in unison. The wheel 83 is operatively connected by means of a sprocket chain 38 to a sprocket wheel 39, normally freely rotated on a shaft 4B, extending across the machine and journalled in bearing supports 4i. Receiving motion from the'shaft 40, when it is set in motion, is a skimming means, indicated generally at 44, for cleaning the surface of the galvanizing bath I I of dross just before thearticles 30 being carried therethrough emerge from the bath. Also, receiving motion from the shaft 40, is an article discharge means, indicated generally at 45, which automatically removes the articles 30 from the supporting hooks 21 shortly after they emerge4 from the hath.- The bath skimming means and the article discharge means will be fully described i' hereinafter.

As hereinbefore mentioned, in order to produce a uniform and thorough coating of the continuously moving articles 38, a certain sequence of handling operations at predetermined variable speeds should be followed. To effect this operation of the machine, the main driving shaft Si thereof receives continuous motion alternately from a pair of electric motors it and 41 (Figs. l, 3 and 7) in the following manner:

Surrounding the shaft oli the motor d1, which is adapted to furnish medium and high speed" operation of the machine, is an overrunning clutch. indicated generally at 48 (Figs. l, 3 and 6), comprising a pawl supporting wheel 49 fixed to rotate with the shaft of the motor s1 and carrying pivotal pawls 50, the free ends of which are arranged to be received in notches i of a ratchet wheel d2 free to rotate on the shaft of the motor. Secured to the ratchet wheel 52 is a sprocket wheel 53, which is operatively connected, by means of a sprocket chain dd, to a sprocket wheel 55 fixed to the shaft of the motor 46, which is used to drive the machine at low speed. To the opposite end of the motor shaft, with which the overrunning clutch 48 is associated, is secured a pulley 5ft, 'which is operatively connected to a 'pulley d5, fixed to the main drive shaft 3i, by a belt td. it will be apparent that when the "low speed motor ES is energized, during which time` A.

the medium motor isdeenergized, the clutch ratchet wheel 52 will receive motion from the shaft of the motor 46 through the interconnecting sprocket chain drive and due to the free end of at least one of the pivotal pawls 50, carried by the clutch wheel a9 being in posi- 5 tion to be engaged by one of the ratchet notches 5|, as shown in Fig 6, that the wheel 48 and the shaft of the motor a1, to which it is secured, wm i" rotate and by means of the pulley and belt drive from the motor shaft to the main drive shaft 3i the latter will thus receive motion. Also, when the motor 41 is energized for operating the machine at either medium or high speed, during which time the low speed motor d6 is deenergized, the pivotal pawls 5G will rotate away from the ratchet notches Si and thereafter be held out of the path thereof and maintained in close engagement with an inner peripheral wall 6i of the wheel 49 by centrifugal force. When the main drive shaft 3i is being driven by the motor 41, the ratchet wheel 52, which is rotatably free on the shaft of the motor 41, will remain idle and thus no motion is transmitted from the motor 41, tending to rotate the shaft of the deenergized motor 46.

For controlling the energization and deenergization of the windings of the motors it and 41 and thereby the sequence and length of time that the machine is operated at high, low and medium speeds, without stoppage thereof, there is provided a sequence or commutator switch indicated generally at B4 (Figs. 1, 3 and '1). The switch 64 is driven from the main drive shaft 3i by means of a worm gear B5 carried on the shaft 3| meshing with a similar gear 66 carried on a shaft 61 and comprises in thepresent embodiment three discs S8, 69 and 10 composed of insulating material. As shown schematically in the electrical circuit diagram (Fig. '7) the discs each have xed thereto an irregularly shaped membery 13 of conducting o material embedded in and flush with one of its side faces. Associated with each of the disks is a pair of contact brushes, brushes 14 and 15 with disc 68, brushes 16A and 11 with disc 69, and brushes 1B and 19 with disc-10.

The configuration of the conducting members 13 is such that the brushes 15, 11 and 19 are always in engagement with the conducting members 13, whereas each of the brushes 1d, 16 and 1d engage the conducting member 13 on its associated disc and are interconnected with its' companion brush 15, 11 and 19, respectively, through the associated conducting member at predetermined intervals in the cycle of the machine, as will be described hereinafter. Power is supplied to the `two motors 46 and 41 from a i410 volt source S2 and the power will be supplied to the motors in sequence and for predetermined periods of time upon the closure of a switch d3. Switch d3, upon being closed, will complete a circuit to energize a relay 84, which will connect the power source 82 to leads 85, 86 and 81. Lead 86 extends to one side of the winding of three relays S, Si and S2 and with the sequence switch discs in the position shown, wherein a low speed period of operation of the machine has just; been completed, brush 14 willhave just moved into engagement with the conducting member 13 of the sequence switch disc 68 and, therefore, a circuit will be completed to energize relay 9i to connect the power source 82 to high speed" windings of the motor d1 to energize it and thereby drive the machine-fat high speed. The relay di will be maintait-ned energized until the sequence switch disc .haanpygdto a position Where brush ifi will no im accesso longer engage the conducting member 'I3 of the disc and at that instant brush 18 will engage the conducting member 13 of its associated disc 'ill to energize the relay 92, thereby to supply power to the low speed motor t6. The motor 46 will continue to drive the machine at low speed until the disc 'I0 associated with the brush i8 breaks contact, at which time the brush i8 will engage the conducting member 13 of its associated disc 69 to energize the relay 90 to supply power to the rnedium speed winding of the motor t1. The motor il will thereupon drive the apparatus at medium speed to the point'where the brush l will again engage the conducting member i3 of its associated disc 1B, whereupon the relay 50 will .fall back, the relay S2 .will be energized a second time to again drive the apparatus at low speed until the apparatus completes its cycle, at which point. the brush i6 will again become effective at the beginning of another cycle.

A suitable variable speed device is indicated diagrammatically at 93 (Fig. 3) arranged along the main drive shaft 3l between the pulley 59 and the drive to the sequence or commutator switch B4 for the purpose of providing for a number of variations in the speed of operation of the machine in accordance with the type of articles being galvanized. By varying the speed of the shaft 3| by adjusting the device 93 no change in the cycle of speeds affected by the timing switch 64 will take place, but merely a slowing down or speeding up of the entire cycle of machine operation.

The automatic bath skimming and article dis charge means and 55, respectively, referred to hereinbefore as receiving motion from the shaft 40, when it is set in motion, will now be described. n

Fixed to each end of the-shaft B is a crank arm 95 each of which in the rotation of the shaft operates in unison similar mechanisms operatively connected to opposite ends of a skimmer blade S6. These mechanisms being similar, thel mechanism at the forward end of the shaft eil, as viewed in Figs. 1 and 2, will be described. To the free end of the crank arm 95 is pivotally connected an irregularly shaped lever 91 which at its opposite end is pivotally connected at 98 to a. horizontally slidable bar 98 guided in spaced stationary bearing brackets l. Rigidly secured to and depending from the bar 99 is an arm |03 to the lower end of which is pivoted intermediate its ends a lever |04. The levers 87 and |04 are pivotally interconnected by a link l which at its lower end is connected to the right end of the lever iM, as viewed in Fig. 1 and at its upper end is connected to the lever Si intermediate the ends thereof. At its left end the lever IUE is vertically bifurcated at it. Attached to opposite ends of the skimmer blade 96 are angle shaped members |01 having their horizontal arms, which are of circularcross-section, pivotally supported in the bifurcated ends 106 of the levers it.

The bath skimming means M (Figs. 1 and 2) is shown in its normal or inactive position, above the surface of and at the right side of the bath Il, ready `to begin its operating cycle. Upon the immersed articles 30 reaching a predetermined point in their movement in the direction of the arrow across the bath, substantially the position shown in Fig. 1, the crank arms S are caused to make one revolution in a clockwise direction by mechanism to be described hereinafter. During the initial portion of their clockwise rotation 'of the cams H0.

3 the crank arms 95, referring to the broken line position of the skimming means, as shown in Fig. 4, raise the levers 91, -which swing about their pivots 98 on the slidable bars 99 and through the links H05 interconnecting the levers 91 and IM the latter are turned clockwiseabout their pivotal points on the arms lll carried by the slidable bars. This movement of the crank arms S5 causes the levers lfl to move the pivotally supported skimmer blade 96 downwards to dip its lower edge into the metal of the bath a predetermined distance and also by means of the interconnecting levers 91 slide the bars 99 toward the left thus effecting a similar movement to the blade 9S while dipped belowv the surface of the bath. During the continued rotation of the crank arms 85 from the broken line position to the full line position Fig. 4, the dipped skimmer blade 96 is being drawn across the bath Il and is partially raised to the position shown, its movement being faster than that of the articles 30, and as it nears the articles, where they almost meet, as-shown in Fig. 5, its movement is reversed, its lower edge being first completely withdrawn from the bath and then moved to the right to the positionshown in Fig. 1 to complete its operating cycle. Thus the 'surface of bath Il is skimmed of drossvby the blade 96 just before the articles 30 are raised from the bath.

, The automatic discharge means 4,5 (Figs. 1 and 2) which removes the articles from the conveyor hooks 2l when they reach a predetermined point in theirV upward travel between the sprocket wheels i9 and 20, substantially the position thereof shown in Fig. 1, is shown in Figs. l and 2 in its normal or inactive position and during the hereinbefore referred to one revolution of the shaft 40 is actuated through a complete operating cycle by a pair of similar cams HIJ xed to the shaft B0. Each cam ill) operates in unison an identical leverage mechanism operatively 'connected to opposite ends of an article discharge platform lll and the following description is of the leverage mechanism associated with the forward cam H0, as viewed in Figs. l and 2. The platform lli is carried by a framework which includes at each end an arm H2 pivotally con-V nected at its upper end to an arm H3 which is pivoted at its opposite end to a stationary bracket H4. Interconnecting the platform arms H2 below the arms H3 is a cross shaft i l5 to which are pivoted the upper ends of levers H8 pivoted at their lower ends in brackets il l, the levers carrying rollers i i8 which ride on the peripheral faces As the .shaft 40 begins its rotation, the cams lill effect a quick clockwise rotation of the .levers Htabout their pivots H1 from the position shown in Fig. 1 to that shown in Fig. 5. In this movement of the levers i I6 the discharge platform lll is moved outwards and simultaneously turned counterclockwise about the pivot shaft H5 due to the pivotal connection of the platform arms H2 at their upper ends to the arms l I3 winch swing about their pivots H6. The platform is then raised to the position shown in Fig. 5 and held there for a suitable period 0f time due to the cam rollers H8 riding on concentric peripheral faces of the cams H0.

As the discharge platform lll quickly moves outwardly and upwardly, it engages the ,row of articles 30 suspended from the hooks 2l carried by the relatively slow travelling conveyor bar 25 and readily unhooks them therefrom, the articles being deposited on the platform, as shown in Fig.

5, when the platform reaches the position illus-- trated. 'It will be observed that the articles 30 are slightly inclined on the platform with the portions of the articles which 'last emerge from the bath slightly higher than the portions thereof which irst emerge from the bath. This position of the article is highly desirable since it permits any excess galvanized coating thereon to drain back along the articles and thereby make the coating more uniform. After the platform has been held stationary in its raised position, due to the cam rollers ||8 riding on the concentric peripheral faces of the rotating cams for a suflicint length of time to allow the coating on the articles to harden or set the rollers ride into depressed cam face portions ||8 of the cams H0 and the platform is returned to its normal position, as shown in Fig. 1. As the platform returns to its normal position, and reaches the broken line position thereof (Fig. l), the row of articles 30 are discharged automatif cally therefrom and move onto and down a stationary chute |20 (Figs. 1 and 2) and thence into a container (not shown) positioned at the lower end thereof. To prevent excessive friction of the rollers ||3 on the cams during the return movement of the discharge platform suitable cushioning means such as a door check |2| carried on a bracket |23 and operatively connected to-the cross shaft ||5 interconnecting the platform arms ||2 is provided.

'I'he bath skimming means 44 and the article discharge means at a predetermined point in the continuous travel of the conveyor l2 are set in motion from the shaft 40 by the tripping of a one revolution clutch mounted on the shaft 4U (Fig. 2) comprising a clutch member |24 rotatable with the sprocket wheel 39 which is normally freely rotatable on the shaft, the sprocket wheel being constantly driven by the sprocket chain '33. Cooperating with the: clutch member |24 is a second clutch member |25 which is freely slidable longitudinally on the shaft 40 and fixed to rotate therewith by means of a key |26,

- the opposed faces of the clutch members being formed with the usual clutch teeth. 'I'he clutch member |25 is constantly urged into clutching engagement with the clutch member |24 by means of a, spring |21 surrounding the shaft 40 and abutting at opposite ends a collar on the shaft and an end face of the clutch member. Formed in the periphery of the clutch member |25 is a continuous annular cam groove |28. The clutch members are normally held out of engagement by a pin |3|, depending from a lever |32 pivoted on a bracket |33, the pin being entered in the cam groove |28 of the clutch member |25,`as shown in Figs. l and 2, whereby the clutch member is held disengaged from the clutch member |24 against the action of the spring |21 tending to cause an engagement of the clutch members. To trip the clutch pin |3| the supporting lever |32 is pivotally connected at its free end to one end of an irregular shaped link |34 which is pivotally connected at its opposite end to a lever |35 pivoted to a supporting bracket |38. 'Ihe right or free end (Figs. 1, 2 and 5) of the lever 35 lies in the path of the traveling conveyor cross bars 25 and every time a cross bar moves past the lever it is raised and permitted to fall back. 'I'he raising of the lever |35 by means of the interconnecting link |34 lifts the lever |32 carryingthe clutch tripping pin |3|, which is withdrawn from the cam groove |28 of the clutch member |25 and the latter is immediately moved into clutching engagement with the constantly rotating clutch member |24. Thus theshaft 40 to which the clutch member v|25 is keyed begins its one revolution in the direction of the arrow (Fig. 1). When the lever |35 falls back the pin |3| again enters the cam groove |28 and as the shaft 40 nears the end of its revolution the pin rides onto a cam portion 4|39 of the groove |28 and effects a disengagement of the clutch members.

It is to be understood that the various ma.- chine elements described hereinbefore for effecting the operation of the machine have a definite motion transmitting ratio to each other and have been formed as well as arranged relative to each other to correctly time the periodic movements to be effected thereby.

It is believed, from the foregoing detailed deV scription of the improved automatic galvanizing machine that the manner of continuously causing successive rows of articles 30 carried on the conveyor I2 to be moved into and through the bath skimming the surface of the bath' of dross before the articles are withdrawn therefrom, withdrawing the articles from the bath and discharging the articles from the conveyor and finally from the machine will be clearly apparent. However, a description. of the particular points in the movement of the conveyor where the speed thereof is varied by the sequence switch 64 and the purpose of such speed variations has not been completely set forth but will be included in the following general description of operation of the machine.

It will be assumed, for the purpose of this general description, that the articles 30 to be galvanized are first uxed and as the continuously moving conveyor carries a row of idle hooks2`|` around the sprocket wheel i6 and moves to the right (Fig. 1) in the direction of the arrow toward the sprocket wheel I1, articles are placed on the hooks. After passing the sprocket wheel the articles move downwardly, are immersed in the bath and moved therethrough. 'I'he conveyor |2 while moving the immersed articles 30 through the bath is travelling at high speed which may, for example, be approximately twenty feet pertminute. such movement being e'ected by the energization of the high speed windings of the motor 41, the circuit oi' which is controlled by the timing switch B4 in the manner previously described. When the immersed articles 30 reach substantially the position thereof, as shown in Fig. l, the bath skimming means 44, hereinbefore described, is actuated to skim the surface of the bath of dross just before the articles are Withdrawn therefrom.

Just before the articles begin their upwardy movement, out of the bath at thesprocket wheel I9, the speed of the conveyor is changed from high speed to low speed, in the manner previously described, which may, for example, be approximately two feet per minute, to slowly emerge the articles through the skimmed surface of the bath until the entire upper ends thereof are above the bath surface. This slow movement of the articles at this point is highly desirable since it does not permit excess galvanized coating to flow from the upper ends of the -articles and along the length thereof in streaks or leave excessive lumps 'of coating near the edges, which would be the case if the articles were rapidly withdrawn, but permits the excess coating at the upper ends to drain back into the bath as the articles are slowly moved out of the the speed of the conveyor is changed'from lowv speed to medium speed in the manner previously described, which may, for example, beV

approximately ten feet per minute,` since the sides of the articles are all substantially vertical. l Thus the operation of the machine may be speeded up at this point. As the lower ends of the articles approach the surface of the bath the speed of the conveyor is changed from medium speed to low speed in the manner previously described. This slow movement of the articles at this point is desirable for the same reasons that the upper ends of the articles are slowly withdrawn from the bath, that is, to permit the excess coating to drain from theA articles back into the bath. Y

Iso

Y Upon the articles being entirely emerged from the bath the speed of the conveyor is changed from low speed to high speed, in the manner previously described, thus'causing a rapid upward movement of the vertically suspended articles toward the sprocket wheel 20. The purpose of this rapid movement of the articles after .their complete emergence from .the -bath is to position them in a substantially horizontal posi` tion as soon as possible -to prevent the coating from flowing to their lower ends and forming excessively thick sections. It is during this lattervrapid movement of the articles'that rthe Varticle discharge means 45 is actuated. Referring to Fig. 1, the rapidly moving conveyor is shown with a conveyor bar 25, supporting a roweof articles, approaching the sprocket wheel 2|) and a short distance below the clutch tripping lever |35 which lies in the path `of the conveyor bar. During the movement of the bar lever it is raised and then falls back to its normal position (Figs. 1 and 5). The one revolution clutch mounted on the shaft is tripped by the raising of the lever |35 and the article discharge platform is rapidly moved upwardly to remove the row of articles from the conveyor hooks 21 and deposit them on the platform in the position shown in Fig.5. After a sumcient length of time to allow the coating on ,the articles .to set the platformll I is returned to its normal position (Fig. 1) and during such movement the articles are automatically discharged from the platform onto and thence down the chute |20. It will be observed that simultaneously with the operation of the article discharge means 45 that .the lhath skimming means M- is being operated to skim the bath Just prior to the row of articles, following the discharged row of articles, being withdrawn from the bath. Each succeeding row of articles 30 placed on the continuously moving conveyor l2 adjacent the sprocket wheel I6 is subjected to a similar sequence of handling operations at predetermined variable speeds and the bath skimmed of dross justv before each row of coated articles is withdrawn therefrom in the manner justdescribed.

It will be apparent from the foregoing description that a simple and practical article coating machine is provided wherein successively conveyed articles are efliciently and expeditiously automatically subjected .to a definite sequence of operations whereby a uniform and thorough coating thereof is eiected.

Although this invention has herein been disclosed and described with special reference to a galvanizing or metal coating machine, it will be 1.28.8?, the

Y What is claimed is: -5

1. In an articlecoating machine. a receptaclefor fluid coating material, means. for continuously conveying an article, immersing it in the material and withdrawing itin a suspended position therefrom, a member arranged for movement from below and into engagement with the lower end face ofthe article after its Withdrawal and during its continued advance .to discharge the suspended article' from -said means, vand means effective when thearticle immersing and discharging means has advanced a predetermined distance after withdrawal of .the article to actuate the article discharge member.

2. In an article coating machine, a receptacle for fluid coating material. means for immersing 20 an anticle in the material and withdrawing it in a suspended position therefrom, a pivotal member movable into engagement with the lower end of the article after its withdrawal for removing 4.the suspended article from said' means and 25 thereafter supporting it upon its upper surface for a predetermined period of time with the portion thereof ilast withdrawn slightly higher than the portion rst withdrawn and thereafter returning .to its normal position said pivotal meinber in its return 'to normal position permitting the article to be discharged therefrom bythe action of gravity,v and means effective when the article immerslng and withdrawing Vmeans has withdrawal to lift it fro said means and^simull5- taneously supporting it -upon its. upper surface Y. and carrying it outwardly from said means with o I the portion ofthe article last withdrawn slightly higher .than the por-tion first withdrawn, means for moving the member at a rate of speed which 5 is greater than that of the article, and means effective when the article immers'ing and withdrawing means has advanced a predetermined distance after withdrawal of the article to actuate the article lifting and supporting member. 55 4. In an article coating machine, a receptacle f for fluid coating material, means for continuously conveying an article, immersing it in the material and withdrawing it therefrom, said Y means including a hook from which .the article 30 is suspended.V a member simultaneously movable in a plurality of directions to engage the lower end of the moving article after its withdrawal 4to lift it from said hook and simultaneously supporting it upon its upper surface andl carrying 05 it outwardly from said conveying means.A means for moving the member at a rate of speed which is greater than that of the article, said member in its return to normal position permitting :the article to .be discharged therefrom =by the action of gravity, and means edective Vwhen the oonveying means has advanced a. predetermined distance after withdrawal of the article to aotuthrough its operating cycle. 7l

sov

5. In a metal coating machine, a receptacle for fluid coating metal, a pair of endless conveyors arranged above said receptacle. a plurality of elements extending between and pivotally supported at opposite ends on said conveyors, a plurality of alined hooks for the suspension of articles on each of said elements, means for directing said conveyors downwardly V toward and across said receptacle and thence upwardly therefrom to immerse each successive row of articles in the coating metal, moving them therethrough and then withdrawing them through the surface thereof, means for continually advancing said conveyors and during such advance predeterminedly varying the speed thereof while each succeeding row of articles is being withdrawn, means for skimming the surthe hooks and supporting them for a predetern mined period of time withtheA portion last withdrawn slightly higher than the portion first withdrawn and thereafter returning to its normal position, the*V articles being automatically discharged from the member during its return movement, and means responsive to a predetermined position of the conveyor for operating said article discharge member and skimming means through their operating cycles.

6. In an article coating machine, a receptacle for lfluid coating material, means for withdrawing an article immersed in the material through the surface thereof, means for operating said withdrawing means including an electric motor drive therefor, an operating circuit for said motor drive, and a continuously operated switch to control said operating circuit for effecting continuous operation of said motor drive 'at predetermined variable speeds and thereby the withdrawal of the article at such speeds.

7.A In an article coating machine, a receptacle for fluid coating material, means for conveying successive articles and immersing them in the at predetermined variable speeds and thereby a continuous advance of said conveying means and during such advance predeterminediy varying the speed thereof while each succeeding article is being withdrawn.

8. In an articleYK coating machine, a receptacle forfluid coating material, a conveyor adapted to have spaced articles suspended therefrom and in its advance movement to immerse the articles kin succession in the material and withdrawing them through the surface thereof, means for moving said conveyor including an electric motor drive therefor, an operating circuit for said motor drive, and a continuously operated control switch driven from said motor drive to control said operating circuit for effecting continuous advance of said conveyor and during such advance predeterminedly varying the speed thereof while each article is being withdrawn to provide a slow withdrawal of the upper and lower ends of the article anda faster withdrawal of the portion thereof between the upper and lower ends.

9. In an article coating machine, a receptacle for fluid coating material, a conveyor, article supporting hooks spaced longitudinally along the conveyor and depending therefrom and in its advance movement to carry the articles down- Yward to immerse them in the material, moving the immersed articles through the material and then withdraw them vertically through the surface thereof, means for moving said conveyor ltion of said motor drive at predetermined variable speeds and thereby a continuous advance of said conveyorY and during such advance predeterminedly varying the speed thereof while each article is being withdrawn.

10. In an article coatingmachine, a receptacle for fluid coating material, means for immersing anarticle in theY material and withdrawing it through the surface thereof, means for operating said article immersing and withdrawing means including an electric motor drive therefor, an operating circuit for said motor drive, a switch to control said operating circuit for effecting continuous operation of said motor drive at predetermined variable-speeds and thereby the withdrawal of the article at such speeds, and a variable speed mechanism included in said motor drive for varying the speedof the entire operat-l ing cycle of the machine. a s 'n EDWARD BERTALAN. 

